The President's Dilemma in Keeping Secrets

President Ford, shortly after taking office during a generational reckoning over intelligence programs, made a revealing statement to the Times editors regarding choosing conservatives for a Commission exploring intelligence abuses. Ford admitted selecting trustworthy individuals who could keep secret programs confidential, including assassinations. However, Ford quickly retracted the statement as 'off the record,' leaving the journalists with a significant ethical and moral dilemma of whether to publish this explosive revelation or honor the off-the-record agreement.